The response of an audio amplification system will generally exhibit imperfections when measured across the range of audible frequencies. This is due to both the quality of the system components and the effects of the physical environment in which the system is being used. Multi-use facilities, such as large auditoriums, often exhibit poor acoustics, making it especially difficult to achieve an acceptable frequency response when the facility is used as a concert venue. Even specially designed music studios may require fine tuning of their audio systems to compensate for environmental effects.
Equalization and balancing of these systems is typically accomplished by devices that provide visual indications of sound volume or signal amplitude at discrete select frequencies throughout the audio spectrum. These amplitude indicators usually take the form of vertically oriented lines whose height indicates the relative amplitude level as compared to other frequencies. Controls are provided to change or adjust the amplitude of these signals, which in effect adjust the signal level, and hence sound volume, over a frequency range centered around the select frequency. Equalizers for expensive, high-end equipment may provide more frequency ranges that can be adjusted so that more precise equalization or signal balancing can be affected, but equalization controls in high-end equipment is still often made by adjusting the height of a vertical line or bar. Methods and devices are needed which improve the audio equalization process for amplification systems and listening environments.